Hera's Story

[Margali]

This flu is still kicking my butt. Very slight upside is I'm at home. So is it stalking if you are obsessively staring out windows at your property?

This morning I let Hera and sheep out to graze and walked with them for a bit. She picked laying down spot (green) near gate between paddocks and home while sheep grazed ~200ft further back (left red). Seems kinda odd since there wasn't a great line of sight. Maybe she was more worried about blocking Bruno (blue) who was in the home acre yard?

 

[Margali]

Then Bruno alerted at something by south neighbors. Hera stood up looking that direction then ambled towards sheep shed. Sheep flock were already returning to shed area. Bruno ambled off to home wood patch.

 

[Baymule]

Hera can smell or hear a threat and see even through brush if it’s not too thick. I’m betting she knows what’s going on. AND keeping an eye on that brat Bruno! LOL

 

[Mini Horses]

Actually, the two may complement one another for the monitoring. It's a wait and see.

Hope you're feeling better.

 

[Margali]

@Mini Horses I hope so! Bruno is taking his demotion to guarding home acre hard. I've been walking his new perimeter with him in evening. However, he is back on trolley when outside unescorted since he found another spot in fence. Also my hot wire didn't have a good kick over there.

He did a wide loop around Hera and sheep to go play in pond. I calmly walked out with leash, collected him, and took him inside. Hera didn't attack but Bruno also gave the sheep a wide berth without spooking them.

So sick and frustrated!! I have prescription oseltamivar which has killed fever but I'm still coughing till I puke.

 

[Margali]

Dinner routine for Hera and sheep went well again. Cassandra carried bowl of Hera's food while staying next to me. We did our standard sidle around sheep tapping butts to get them to go all the way into shed so we could close the door. Hera was standing back about 15ft watching.

Then Cassandra handed me bowl of food and I set it down in the outside kennel run. I commanded "Hera Here!". She wouldn't enter run until Cassandra and I did then came when I repeated command. Maybe that's how the Howell's did it? We slowly walked around her and out kennel latching it. Then we fed the sheep, keeping Snickers tied until he and Panda finished their feed. We then sat next to kennel run for about 5min reviewing our sheep's name and were we got them out loud. By this point Hera had finished her food and laid down. I collected bowl and we said goodnight. The inside kennel door is open so she can mingle with ewe flock if she chooses.

 

[Baymule]

Sounds like it is going good. Now you just gotta get well.

 

[Margali]

Yep! I can barely focus for an hour at a time and rest is sleeping. To add to the hot mess, our washer went out again and we had to cancel service appointment due to plague house. So I can't even get ahead on worst house chore.

 

[Baymule]

With 3 kids you HAVE to have a washing machine!

 

[Margali]

I REALLY, REALLY want to be outside bonding with Hera. I need to gain her trust so I can take her to vet for shots and second opinion on old leg injury. It was ~1.5yrs ago per the Howell family. It sucks but they couldn't afford the surgery at the time.

Right now she is at sniff hand if I'm on other side of kennel fence and lay down about 5ft away stage. She follows me at a distance to make sure she can see me and sheep if I'm out there. I figure once she approach for ear rub stage, I can start working on gentle grooming and touching. Then I will work on loading into my highlander's rear compartment using ramp or assist. I can't get her into truck bed by myself from grade level. Short drives around paddock, unload back at sheep, and hot dog treat. Then, we will be ready for vet? I've never adopted an older dog before...